artschlosser Crandell, I had similar thoughts, but Dearborn station, out of the picture but just above and a little to the right, is just a 'stones throw' from this engine facility separated by maybe half mile or so of concentrated/congested trackage. And I can't really believe there would be a coaling tower around Dearborn station. (Who needs sooty customers, snooty is bad enough!) Wonder if perhaps a conveyer type loader may be lurking about? Art
Crandell, I had similar thoughts, but Dearborn station, out of the picture but just above and a little to the right, is just a 'stones throw' from this engine facility separated by maybe half mile or so of concentrated/congested trackage. And I can't really believe there would be a coaling tower around Dearborn station. (Who needs sooty customers, snooty is bad enough!)
Wonder if perhaps a conveyer type loader may be lurking about?
Art
I have seen tons of pictures of Dearborn Station and surrounding areas from all different time periods, but no coaling towers. If not south of downtown Chicago, it must have been at Joliet or points farther southwest. But, I gotta believe with the number of steamers coming into the ATSF yard at 18th Street after discharging passengers at Dearborn Satation, there had to be a coaling tower somewhere in the immediate vicinity.
Rich
Alton Junction
Having been raised in the steam era (Yep,I'm giving away my age) I look for coaling towers. There are precious few in Michigan and most are off the mainline. There is, however, still one standing in Lansing, MI that straddles double or triple main track (I don't remember which) and has a side track for coal cars to unload their cargo into the tower. It can be viewed on Bing.
There are several around Michigan, but the ones I remember most were off the main. Pontiac and Durand come to mind.
Norm
I know nothing at all about this topic, but I wonder if the coaling tower would be better placed where it would be of use to engines on the move...that is, nearer the A/D tracks and not right at the 'house and table.
-Crandell
The following photo is an aerial view of the ATSF coach yard and engine servicing facility at 18th Street just south of Dearborn Station. The photo was taken in 1929.
You can see the turntable and roundhouse but nowhere do I see a coaling tower although ATSF was running steam in 1929 for sure. Apparently, the Chicago-area coaling tower was somewhere else in the Chicago area. Does anyone have any info and/or photos to share?
Thanks
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.